DE3731766A1 - Soot filter - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/DE88/00586 Sec. 371 Date May 17, 1989 Sec. 102(e) Date May 17, 1989 PCT Filed Sep. 21, 1988 PCT Pub. No. WO89/02976 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 6, 1989.A soot filter for Diesel engines has a housing (2), in which filter material (11) of mineral fibers or yarns is arranged on a support (7). To prevent the filter material from losing its three-dimensional structure necessary for the filtration in the event of yarn breakage, it is formed at least partly or completely of knitted fabric (12), which maintains its internal coherence in the vicinity of individual loops even in the event of yarn breakage because of the interlacing of the yarns in the adjacent loops.

Description

The invention relates to a soot filter with the features the preamble of claim 1.

In the magazine "Der Nachverkehr", issue 4, 1986, is under the heading "Wickelschootfilter für Stadt buses in trials in transport operations " Generic soot filter described. The soot filter contains a number of tubes in a housing that are closed at one end and at the other end are welded gastight in a perforated plate, which in the housing of the soot filter is used sealed. The tubes are perforated on their circumference and serve as Carrier for ceramic yarn in the form of cylindrical Cross winding coils on the tubes is wound. The exhaust gas coming from the diesel engine must because of the on order of the coils of ceramic fibers inevitably flow through them, which is in the exhaust soot particles contained in the ceramic fibers the coils.

So that the exhaust gas flow, in the relatively very high Pressure peaks occur, the turns in the coils not relocated, the coils must be relatively tight be wrapped. However, this reduces the effective surface for trapping the soot particles Ceramic yarn, because only such areas of the Yarns take part in the soot filtering, as with the Ab gas flow come into direct contact. By neighboring beard layers of covered portions of the yarn surface  are ineffective.

If in the known soot filter in a near A thread break in the outer layer of the yarn occurs, the coil loses its internal hold and is resolved by the exhaust gas flow. This is the winding yarn possibly removed from the tube and in other areas of the soot filter shipped where it Exhaust gas flow path blocked. The Garnma material of the resolved coil covered areas in clock coils fall due to the increased flow wi increasingly for exhaust gas purification out, which is why a very large part of that of his Filter material freed the soot filter tube flows because the flow resistance is relative there the smallest. As soon as this error occurs, it is Soot filter has become practically ineffective.

In the known arrangement of the filter material the danger of a thread break, especially in the outer The situation was not negligible. These locations are namely of the strongly discontinuously flowing exhaust gas in Vibrates and also occur within the coil has high voltages caused by the temp rature change of the filter material can be caused. Because of the relatively tight winding, the need is agile to give the coil its inner hold, changes in length due to temperature Do not compensate for changes, but the yarn becomes too taking strain.

Another difficulty with the known soot filter is that the coils by the constant on heating and cooling have a certain tendency to loosen and create channels through the filter material  to let through the exhaust gas without using filter material to come into contact, to flow through can.

Based on this, it is an object of the invention, a carbon black to create filters that have improved efficiency and has higher operational reliability.

This object is achieved by the soot filter solved with the features of claim 1. Through the Use of knitwear for the filter material the fibers and yarn sections without additional External influence, held on. Even if that Should a yarn break a stitch, the stitch loses would not be their inner hold and the arising free yarn ends in the area of the destroyed stitch are fixed by the neighboring intact meshes hold. In the worst case, a running stitch can arise which, however, the strength of the knitted fabric or knitted fabric is not able to impair. Avoid in particular incorporates the yarn into the stitches complete dissolution of the structure, like this at Coiling is the case when the outer layer Thread breaks. It is because of the new soot filter also not necessary, the yarn of the filter material to keep it under tension so that the body made of fil term material has the necessary inner support. As a result the lack of internal tension and the smaller one too Coverage factor of the yarn by adjacent yarn sections creates a larger effective filter area che. After all, the knitted fabric or knitted fabric is in the Location, due to its inherent elasticity of stresses due to temperature changes prevent.  

Because of the training as knitwear, the Cleaning effect both with a flow through the Filter material across the layers as well when the exhaust gas between the layers approximately parallel to these flows through. Because of the loose pack that goes through it is possible to incorporate the ceramic yarn in the stitches is this way of flow given.

To achieve a good cleaning effect, without further several layers lying directly on top of each other be arranged. But it is also possible to choose between to accommodate the layers of ceramic fibers that are woven or non-woven fiber material, for example as a random fiber fleece, as a fuse or as a rowing fabric. The knitwear on both sides holds those between the layers, essentially loose fibers securely firmly, while at the same time because of loose pack get a good flow remains. Such an arrangement is particularly then beneficial if the cost of the filter is reduced should be because a random fiber fleece cheaper To be delivered is knitwear of the same volume.

Particularly simple attachment conditions for the Knitted fabrics are achieved when they are tubular is made because then without further processing steps a self-contained in the circumferential direction Formations are created, which entails the attachment of edges makes dishonorable. In addition, there are no thickenings where edges abut or overlap, it is enough if the knitted fabric is on the forehead side ends attached to a tubular support becomes. The demands placed on quality  the attachment must be made are small. Because every open edge of the goods runs the risk of stitches education, if not special, that Manufacture of expensive measures stable, multilayer filters can be easily by making the goods hose on or is turned back on itself several times. The elasticity in the circumferential direction of the knitted fabric permits such a procedure without further ado, which makes it possible to create a multi-layer structure received with only two open product edges The knitted fabric lies in a longitudinal section see zigzag layer after layer.

When it comes to intertwining two goods hoses pull with the goods hoses spaced apart that should run, this can be done simply by achieve that one of the goods hoses on itself is rolled up, either from one end or from both ends, making it easy free volume that can be generated with loose Fiber material can be filled. Besides, that is Rolling up the goods hose on itself one easy way to ver the open goods edge relatively effective against si mesh chern.

A two-layered endless structure can also be used as a result fold can be achieved by the front ends of a goods hose of the appropriate length by ket teln or the like. be connected to each other. Hereby two-layered ring-shaped structures can be achieved, whose diameter due to the inherent elasticity of ge knitted or knitted goods to different wearers is adjustable.  

To the pressure conditions within the soot filter to take account of the different positions, be there is the possibility of using the knitwear under to produce different mesh sizes, so that goods with a large mesh size at the points in the filter comes where the back pressure is low while Filter material with a small mesh size there in the fil ter is arranged where the dynamic pressure is high. The Filter material has different in this way Flow resistance according to the flow ver conditions in the filter.

The effective surface of the knitwear when filtering can be enlarged if the knitted fabric as Is knitted or knitted, and so probably in the form of loop goods as well as in shape of cutting plush. The former has the advantage that no additional cutting operations of the two-sided goods are necessary and also none free yarn ends arise from which starting the yarn could dissolve to a limited extent. On the other hand a limited dissolution of the yarn on the free en that of cutting plush another enlargement of the filtering surface and the free ends can get caught in neighboring layers more easily, to further the filter body formed from the goods stabilize.

Because the yarn processed in the form of knitwear only a relatively very short distance is exposed before it crosses with an adjacent section of yarn, For the manufacture of the knitwear, untwisted, wrongly twisted and twisted yarns are used. In any case, the fibers contained are through the stitches are held, which is particularly the case with unsung  twisted yarn is important, but the other one have a very large filtering surface ready.

As already said, can be produced as tubular goods placed filter material on pipe without difficulty attach shaped brackets to their tube wall are punched. In this case, an external / Internal flow used, which ensures that the Ab gas flowing through the filter material, the Presses filter material against the pipe supporting it.

In the drawing are exemplary embodiments of the counter state of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic soot filter according to the invention it in a longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 of one of the support tubes of the soot filter according to Fig. 1 in a schematic longitudinal section,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the knitwear used for the soot filter of FIG. 1, and

Fig. 4 to 11 different ways of attaching the machine's goods on the support tubes.

In Fig. 1, a soot filter 1 for a compression internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine, is shown in a highly schematic manner, which is to be arranged in the exhaust gas stream in order to free the exhaust gas from soot particles. The soot filter 1 has a container-like housing 2 , which is closed on all sides, on one side of which an inlet connector 3 and on the other side of which an outlet connector 4 is arranged. Inside the container 2 is in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle 4, a perforated plate 5 with a number of equidistantly distributed openings or holes 6th In each of the openings 6 a tube 7 is inserted, which extends from the perforated plate 5 in the direction of the inlet port 3 and is closed at 8 at its end remote from the perforated plate 5 . The tubes 7 are in the perforated plate 5 by welding or the like. fastened and sealed. The wall of the tubes 7 , as shown in FIG. 2, is provided with a multiplicity of small through-openings 9 which are distributed equidistantly over the entire wall of the tube 7 and are at a small spatial distance from one another.

The tubes 7 run inside the housing 2 pa parallel to one another and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the approximately cylindrical container-like housing 2 . They serve as supports or supports for filter material 11 which surrounds the tubes 7 in one or more layers insofar as they are provided with the openings or holes 9 .

The filter material 11 consists of knitted or knitted knitwear 12 , which is shown in section in Fig. 3. The knitted fabric 12 is preferably one or more circular knitted or circular knitted tubes made of a ceramic yarn 13 , which has a diameter of approximately 1 mm. The ceramic yarn 13 is preferably a fiber yarn, but can also be a multi filament yarn. Depending on the intended use and requirements for strength, it is untwisted or twisted yarn, whereby both wrong and actually twisted yarn can be used. The material from which the threads or fibers of the yarn 13 are made of aluminum borosilicate, consisting of 62 weight percent aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ), 14 weight percent boron oxide (B ₂ O ₃ ) and 24 weight percent silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ).

The binding shown in Fig. 3 is a right-left binding with a relatively low transverse elasticity, that is, when the knitted fabric is stretched in the longitudinal direction, there is a corresponding transverse contraction.

The production of the soot filter 1 described so far is done in such a way that on a corresponding machine from the ceramic yarn 13 an endless goods hose is knitted or knitted, from which long sections are cut off accordingly. The sections obtained, like stockings, are drawn over the tubes 7 , namely as many as the finished filter 1 should have on each of the tubes 7 . For the sake of simplicity, only two layers 14 and 15 are shown in FIG. 2. In the case of a soot filter 1 that is actually implemented, however, the number of layers is far higher, namely ten to fifteen. As soon as enough goods hoses are drawn according to the desired number of layers 14 , 15 via a respective pipe 7 , the wound goods hoses near the perforated plate 5 are fastened to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 7 by a temperature-resistant clamp, not shown, while its upper end, which is on the closed side 8, is tied with a yarn of the same material. Before tying, the individual goods hoses on the tube are pulled slightly in length, so that the transverse contraction that occurs causes the individual layers or layers 14 , 15 to lie tightly packed one on top of the other without causing excessive tension. When all the tubes 7 are equipped accordingly, the perforated plate 5 thus prepared is accommodated in the housing 2 and the housing 2 is closed. The exhaust gas flowing in via the inlet connection 3 (according to an arrow 16 ), in order to be able to flow through the soot filter 1 , must flow through the filter material 11 , specifically through the meshes of the knitted fabric 12 and the holes 9 into the interior of the tubes 7 , so that it can flow out according to an arrow 17 through the outlet port 4 . The flow through the filter material 11 is indicated schematically by arrows 18 an outside / inside flow.

In the filter thus produced, the filter material 11 is in individual layers 14 , 15 or more on the outer circumferential surface of the tubes 7 , wherein in each layer 14 , 15 due to the tubular manufacture of the knitwear a circumferentially closed layer comes about without special measures holds together so that no thickening points occur.

Even if the yarn breaks on a single stitch within the knitwear, the layers 14 , 15 drawn from the tubular knitwear onto the corresponding tube 7 retain their inner hold, since the ends of the broken yarn region are from neighboring stitches with which they are interlaced , be held securely. Such yarn breaks cannot be ruled out because the yarn made of ceramic material is relatively brittle and can be caused to vibrate by the exhaust gas flowing past, which, as is known, can cause breaks in all materials under long-term effects.

The use of a knitted or knitted fabric as a filter material also has the advantage that the exhaust gases flowing through can also in case of loose application of the filter material 11 is no "channels" blow out through the Fil termaterial 11 to which the Strö flow resistance then clear drops during walls hand, the effective filter surface in the area of such channels becomes very small. The yarn defined by the stitches at small intervals is insensitive to displacement by gas flows, even if the filter material 11 is held on the tubes 7 without internal tension. An additional voltage, as is necessary with wound filter material 11 , would increase the risk of the yarn breaking.

In a currently preferred embodiment of the knitwear 12 , the mesh size is 5 mm and the pitch 6 . In order to create an even larger effective surface in the filter material 11 , the knitted fabric 12 can be knitted as a plush with individual plush loops or as a two-surface product, which is then cut to form cutting plush.

While in the previously described exemplary embodiment, the individual goods hoses simply coaxially plug into one another, with mutually parallel cylindrical layers or layers being formed, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS . 4 and 5 the goods hose 14 forming the innermost layer is from its outer ends itself rolled up, so that two bead-like rings 21 and 22 closed in the circumferential direction arise. By rolling in the goods hose 14 , the upper edge of the goods is secured against dissolving without any special measures. In addition to this, the beads or rollers 21 , 22 simultaneously form spacers for the other goods hose 15 which is slipped over them, so that, as shown in FIG. 4, the two rollers or beads 21 , 22 are axially spaced from one another with respect to the tube 7 , A cavity 23 is formed, which is to be filled loosely with woven or non-woven fiber material 24 . The fiber material 24 , regardless of what form it is in, is chambered between the two product hoses 14 and 15 and cannot be blown out by the exhaust gas stream.

As shown in FIG. 5, the product hose 14 can also be wound up to such an extent that the two beads 21 and 22 lie directly against one another, so that a product hose already produces a multilayer structure through which the exhaust gas flow passes. It is understood that in both figures only sections are shown, and that these arrangements shown there extend in many ways side by side over the entire tube 7 , only the outer product hose 15 extending over the entire length to keep the arrangement safely together . In the arrangement of Fig. 6, a first goods located on the pipe 7 with the through-holes 9 tube 26, the one is in the circumferential direction rotate the closed roller 27 on itself rolled up at its one end face with the formation. This roller 27 is located in the vicinity of the end of the tube 7 remote from the carrier plate 5 . From there, the goods hose 26 extends first lying directly on the outer circumferential surface of the tube 7 as a hose-shaped structure in the direction of the illustrated carrier plate 5 , wherein it forms a layer 28 on the tube 7 , which the tube 7 along its circumference encloses on all sides. In the vicinity of the carrier plate 5 , the goods hose 26 is turned over by 180 ° to run back from the carrier plate 5 in the direction of the roller 27 , forming a further layer 29 . On the inner layer 28 lie next to each other further product hoses 31 , each of which is rolled up from itself at the ends thereof from the formation of rollers 32 and 33 , until the two rollers 31 and 33 of the product hose 31 are tight abut each other. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a plurality of such goods hoses 31 are arranged side by side between the roller 27 of the goods hose 26 up to the carrier plate 5 , in fact tightly packed. The gusset-like gaps between the individual rollers 27 , 32 , 33 shown in FIG. 6 can only be seen because of the schematic representation. In the practical implementation, the individual rollers 32 , 33 are so closely packed next to one another that they lose their exact circular shape and, in the cross-sectional representation, similar to FIG. 6, would practically no longer be distinguishable from one another.

It is in this way the entire space between the two layers 28 and 29 , which the goods hose 26 forms, filled by further rolled goods hoses 31 , each of which in the circumferential direction, based on the tube 7 , represent closed endless structures. The goods hose 26 envelops them on all sides.

The goods hose 26 finally also fills the roller 27 formed by it at 34 . Its still free end 35 is finally inserted into the inside of the tube a bit, which is a highly schematic Darge. The remaining opening in the tube 7 , which is lined a piece by the goods hose 26 near its end remote from the support plate 5 , is finally closed by a plug, not shown, through which, on the one hand, the necessary frontal sealing of the tube 7 results and which on the other hand fixes the end 35 .

Since both in this embodiment, as in the previously shown, the exhaust gases flow as an external / internal flow through the filter material 11 and the pipe 7 , apart from the waves that are flowing back in the exhaust gas flow, the filter material 11 is mainly pressed against the outer wall of the pipe 7 and by this supports. Therefore, a plug inserted into the tube 7 according to FIG. 6 does not require excessive holding forces in order not to be thrown out.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an inner goods hose 14 is pulled over the tube 7 , which, as explained in connection with FIG. 1, is attached. On the inner fabric hose 14 is wound in the circumferential direction, based on the tube 7 , further knitwear 36 , which is in the form of a long strip, the width of which corresponds to the length of the tube 7 ( Fig. 7 is a ver for the sake of clarity short schematic representation). This strip of knitted fabric 36 forms a bandage or a wrap on the inner fabric tube 14 , as can be seen in FIG. 8, which begins at 37 and the end of which can be seen at 38 . Seen in cross section, the knitted fabric 36 forms a multi-start spiral in order to generate the necessary number of layers. Finally, the outer fabric hose 15 , which secures the outer edge 38 of the knitted fabric 36 , is pulled onto the knitted fabric 36 wound in the manner of a bandage. The wrap formed by the knitted fabric 36 is wrapped in the embodiment according to FIG. 7 by two ineinan dersteckenden product hoses, namely the product hoses 14 and 15 and protected against dissolving. The outer product hose 15 is fastened and closed in the same way as in FIG. 1.

When it comes to keeping the nested goods hoses 14 and 15 or other goods hoses at a distance from each other, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 can be used. Here is on the inner, directly on the tube 7 lying hose 14 a wire knitted hose 38 , from which after both Be th, ie radially outwards and radially inwards, plush handles 39 and 41 protrude. With the radially inward plush legs 41 , the wire mesh 38 is supported on the inner fabric hose 14 made of ceramic fiber, while the plush handles or loops 39 protruding radially outward from the wire mesh 38 form support surfaces for the material hose 15 made of ceramic material lying radially further out. The two illustrated goods hoses 14 and 15 are held radially at a corresponding predetermined distance by the knitted from wire and therefore inherently dimensionally rigid goods hose.

While in the embodiments according to FIGS. 2 and 7 to 10, the flow through the filtering mesh ware substantially transverse carried to the goods, occurs in the embodiments according to FIGS. 4 to 6, a flow, which extends between adjacent layers therethrough. In the area of the rollers, which in practice are packed tightly, areas of the winding occur in which the knitted fabric that forms the filter material 11 runs approximately in radial planes, so that the flow occurring as a radial external / internal flow inevitably between neighboring layers or layers of knitwear must flow through.

In the exemplary embodiment of the soot filter 1 according to FIG. 11, a cylindrical tubular housing 45 is provided, which is closed on its two end faces and is provided with inlet and outlet connections. The filter material 11 contained in the housing 45 consists, as before, of the knitted fabric shown in FIG. 3, which, as can be seen in FIG. 11, is rolled up spirally to form a roll, the outer diameter of the roll formed of knitted fabric of the inside Width of the Ge housing 45 corresponds. The length of the roll is dimensioned so that it easily detects 45 space in the housing.

In this embodiment, the material to be filtered flows through Exhaust the spirally wound knitted fabric in parallel to the layers that are approximately concentric lying there. The interior is also inside the resulting roll of knitted fabric completely ge fills so that there is no continuous channel that has a lower flow resistance than in the surrounding areas.

Claims (26)

1. In the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, in particular an air-compressed internal combustion engine, arranged soot filter ( 1 ), with an inlet and outlet pipe ( 3 , 4 ) for the exhaust gas stream housing ( 2 ), in the filter material from ( 11 ) mineral threads or Yarn is arranged, characterized in that the filter material ( 11 ) is at least partially or completely formed from a knitted fabric ( 12 ). 2. Soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) is arranged to form at least one layer or layer ( 14 , 15 , 36 ) in the housing ( 2 ) and that the exhaust gas duct in the housing ( 2nd ) is such that the layers ( 14 , 15 ) of filter material ( 11 ) flows across. 3. soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) in the housing ( 1 ) with the formation of several layers or layers ( 21 , 22 , 27 , 31 , 32 ) is arranged to run and that the exhaust gas duct in the housing ( 2 ) is such that the exhaust gas in the filter material ( 11 ) flows parallel to the layers or layers ( 21 , 22 , 27 , 31 , 32 ). 4. soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) in the housing ( 2 ) with formation of at least two layers or layers th ( 14 , 15 ) is arranged to extend and that the two layers or layers ( 14 , 15th ) lie directly on top of each other. 5. soot filter according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two layers ( 14 , 15 ) run at a distance from each other ver and the space between them ( 23 ) woven or non-woven fiber material ( 24 ) contains. 6. soot filter according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer or layers ( 14 , 15 ) have the shape of cylindrical surfaces. 7. soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) is a circular knitted fabric. 8. soot filter according to claim 7, characterized in that to form two layers of the product hose ( 14 , 15 , 31 ) is turned upside down on itself. 9. A soot filter according to claim 7, characterized in that the product hose ( 14 ) is turned upside down several times on itself, the deflection points being at an axial distance from one another, such that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) runs approximately tubular or cylindrical between the deflection points . 10. Soot filter according to claim 7, characterized in that the product hose ( 14 , 31 ) is rolled up on itself from at least one end. 11. A soot filter according to claim 7, characterized in that it contains a product hose ( 14 , 31 ) which is rolled up on itself from its two ends to form two beads ( 21 , 22 , 32 , 33 ) running around its outer circumference . 12. Soot filter according to claim 11, characterized in that the two beads ( 21 , 22 , 32 , 33 ) abut each other. 13. Soot filter according to claim 11, characterized in that the two beads ( 21 , 22 ) have an axial distance from one another. 14 soot filter according to claim 10, characterized in that a further knitted fabric ( 12 ) existing fabric hose ( 15 ) over the first beads ( 21 , 22 ) forming the fabric hose ( 14 ) is pulled. 15 soot filter according to claim 7, characterized in that it holds at least one product hose ( 14 ) ent, the two end faces or the like by chaining. are interconnected such that it forms an endless tubular ring. 16. soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) has different mesh width. 17. A soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the knitted fabric ( 12 ) forming the filter material ( 11 ) is plush fabric. 18. Soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) consists of ceramic fibers. 19. Soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the yarns ( 13 ) of the knitted fabric ( 12 ) are untwisted, incorrectly twisted or twisted yarns. 20. Soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a carrier ( 5 , 7 ) with at least one tubular region ( 7 ) which is closed at one end and contains a plurality of holes ( 9 ) in its tube wall, through which the Exhaust gas flows through the soot filter ( 1 ). 21 soot filter according to claim 20, characterized in that the carrier ( 5 , 7 ) in its tubular loading area ( 7 ) on the outside and / or inside with a knitted fabric ( 12 ) is occupied, which is at least at least with Holes ( 9 ) provided area extends. 22. A soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) is pressed against the carrier ( 5 , 7 ) by the exhaust gas flow. 23 soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two layers ( 14 , 15 ) of the Maschenwa re ( 12 ) have an approximately cylindrical shape, run at a radial distance into one another and in that between the two layers ( 14 , 15 ) best Intermediate space is a spacer ( 38 ) is arranged, which holds the two layers ( 14 , 15 ) in Ab from each other. 24. Soot filter according to claim 23, characterized in that the spacer is a tubular fabric knitted from wire, from which radially inward and outward plush handles ( 39, 41 ) protrude. 25 soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two layers ( 14 , 15 ), which have approximately zy-cylindrical shape and run approximately coaxially with each other, include knitwear ( 36 ), which in the circumferential direction, based on the nested layers ( 14 , 15 ) is wound. 26. Soot filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitted fabric ( 12 ) without a carrier or the like is arranged directly in the housing ( 45 ).